Rundgren is well known among his fans as being an electronic music revolutionary. His skilled production techniques, matched by his belief that he has ability to play just about any instrument at a mastery level, has allowed him to release some of the most honest and personal music of his time. Many of his solo albums, including Something/Anything?]' were made completely by himself. That is, he played all the instruments, sang all the vocals, did all of the recording, editing, mixing, and mastering.
Website: http://www.tr-i.com/
Core discography:
With Nazz:
1968 - Nazz
1969 - Nazz Nazz
1970 - Nazz III
Solo:
1970 - Runt
1971 - Runt. The Ballad of Todd Rundgren
1972 - Something/Anything?
1973 - A Wizard, a True Star
1974 - Todd
1975 - Initiation
1976 - Faithful
1978 - Hermit of Mink Hollow
1978 - Back to the Bars (live)
1981 - Healing
1983 - The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect
1985 - A Cappella
1989 - Nearly Human
1991 - 2nd Wind
1993 - No World Order
1995 - The Individualist
1997 - With a Twist
1998 - Up Against It
2000 - One Long Year
2003 - Can't Stop Running (live box set)
2004 - Liars
2008 - Arena
2011 - Todd Rundgren's Johnson
2011 - (re)Production
2013 - State
2015 - Global
2015 - Runddans (collaboration with Emil Nikolaisen and Hans-Peter Lindstrøm)
2017 - White Knight
With Utopia:
1974 - Todd Rundgren's Utopia
1975 - Another Live
1976 (released 2001) - Disco Jets
1977 - Ra
1977 - Oops! Wrong Planet
1980 - Adventures in Utopia
1980 - Deface the Music
1982 - Swing to the Right
1982 - Utopia
1984 - Oblivion
1985 - P.O.V.
2003 - Last of the New Wave Riders (live box set)
Liar
Todd Rundgren Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The infidel must pay his due
For your family we will provide
You will fill them with empty pride
And for you many virgins wait
Say your prayers, accept your fate
Liar
Liar liar liar
And with every lying breath
You send them to their death
Liar liar liar
We need not the authority
Of some god of morality
Nor the aid of some skeptic land
Who puts truth before our demands
And to those who defy our law
We will bring them our shock and awe
Liar
Liar liar liar
Liar liar liar
And you send them to their death
With your every lying breath
Liar liar liar
Liar liar liar
The song "Liar" by Todd Rundgren is a commentary on the destructive power of religious fanaticism and the manipulation of people's faith for political gain. The lyrics depict the indoctrination of a young man into a radical, extremist group, promising martyrdom and the promise of virgins in the afterlife for his actions. The group's leaders use religion as a tool to enforce their laws and punish those who defy them.
The first verse speaks to the manipulation and brainwashing that goes on within the extremist group. The "faithful few" are called upon to carry out their duty and punish the "infidel," who is anyone that doesn't conform to their beliefs. The promise of providing for the family and filling them with pride is a tactic to ensure loyalty and obedience. However, the promise of virgins waiting in the afterlife for those who sacrifice themselves is the most potent lure. The line "say your prayers, accept your fate" shows the immediate need for blind following; this is a test of loyalty to the group.
The second verse seems to be pointing towards the leaders of the extremist group's own morality. The group claims they do not need a "god of morality" but instead rely on their own twisted interpretation of religion to justify their actions. The idea that the skeptic land puts truth above their demands, and therefore is a problem, is a parallel drawn to the real world and the extremist groups that dominate certain countries' politics. The last two lines of the song are a repetition of the refrain, highlighting the damage that is done by lying about religious beliefs, namely causing the death of others.
Line by Line Meaning
Duty calls the faithful few
The few individuals who are dedicated to our cause must fulfill their responsibilities
The infidel must pay his due
Those who do not believe in our beliefs must bear the consequences of their actions
For your family we will provide
We promise to take care of your family in your absence
You will fill them with empty pride
Your family will be proud of the sacrifices you make, even though those sacrifices aren't substantial
And for you many virgins wait
You will be rewarded with many virgins in the afterlife.
Say your prayers, accept your fate
Prepare yourself for death and accept whatever fate befalls you
Liar
You are lying
Liar liar liar
You are lying repeatedly
And with every lying breath
Each and every time that you speak, you are lying
You send them to their death
Your lies are sending people to their deaths
We need not the authority
We do not require the sanction or backing of any higher power or deity
Of some god of morality
We do not need any god or deity to tell us what is right or wrong
Nor the aid of some skeptic land
We do not require the assistance or help of any nation that questions our goals or intentions
Who puts truth before our demands
Those who place truth and honesty over our demands are of no use to us
And to those who defy our law
Those who disobey our rules or laws
We will bring them our shock and awe
We will use brutal, overpowering force to make an example out of them
Contributed by Isaiah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.